Pig Brands

The Branding of Pigs Act requires producers to brand their pigs with a registered brand within seven days prior to sale. This assists disease control by accurately identifying any carcase back to its property of origin.

The pig brand, unlike most other animal brands, is designed to be read after the pig has been killed.

Every brand must consist of three letters of the alphabet and must not be less than 12mm wide or more than 25mm high. The space between the letters must not exceed 12 mm. The branding tool consists of sharp needles in the shape of three separate letters.

The brand mark is a tattoo made by dipping the points of the needles in a carbon-based fluid or paste and then slapping them firmly against the side of the pig so that the needles penetrate about two to three millimetres into the skin. On removal, the needles leave behind in the skin a deposit of carbon in the shape of the letters.

The brand must be placed on the left shoulder for pigs bred from the owner’s stock or on the right shoulder for pigs that have been bought. Some pigs on slaughter may thus be branded on both shoulders.